Azeroth Army of the First War
This text was featured in the manual of the very first Warcraft game, Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. Note: According to Alliance Player's Guide, while the kingdom was renamed sometime after the Third War to Stormwind, at the time of the First War the kingdom was known as Azeroth. Units Peasant These are the people of the Kingdom of Azeroth. Being of sturdy and hardworking stock, they will harvest the forests for necessary woods, or mine for gold in the hillsides as needed. Oftentimes they gather in the Town Hall, and there is always a large supply of them willing to assist in your fight against the Orcs. They are also skilled craftsman, able to construct any type of building you could desire. They are unskilled in the ways of war, however, and will flee when engaged by the enemy, often ignoring a safer route for a faster one. Footman These fighters are the backbone of the King’s armies. They are foot soldiers trained in the art of melee combat using the sword and shield. Well armored for maximum defense against attacks, they can also deliver a solid blow with their double edged weapons. Archer These warriors use their skill in the crossbow to deal death from a distance. They are slightly more maneuverable than Footmen, but the cost is the lighter armor they must wear. The ability to launch their deadly rain of missiles from a distance makes them a force not to be discounted. Knight The fighting elite in his Majesty’s service. Using the difficult skills required for mounted combat, these warriors wield huge maces in order to crush their opponent’s skulls. Their warhorses make them fast and deadly, as they can maneuver much more quickly than an unmounted foe. Knights are well respected throughout the realm, and the tales of their fighting prowess are known far and wide. Catapult As the ultimate machine of war, the catapult brings fiery death to all who stand in its way. Capable of destroying any target in its range, the projectile from a catapult can smash the toughest of defenses, or through the sides of buildings. This behemoth is large, slow, and difficult to maneuver, but the power that it holds makes it an essential part of your forces. Cleric These are the holy men of our kingdom. Their spiritual leadership keeps both the people and the troops of Azeroth focused upon our mission of everlasting peace. Their ability to channel the spirit of humanity through their bodies makes them truly wondrous, and stories of their ability to heal the sick and injured, as well as being able to affect the perceptions of others, are miraculous in nature. The transgressions against Humanity by the Orcs have forced them to devise ways to defend themselves, but their true path remains the healing of men’s souls. Conjurer Seers of mystery, holders of secrets and dwellers in dream. These practitioners of the Arcane Arts have learned through researching the ancient tomes to bend the forces of nature to do their will. They can make the energies of nature strike down opponents, summon forth great creatures or command the elements. They are a secretive sect, and will only gather and train in their own specially prepared mystic towers. Wounded On occasion you may find someone who is wounded. In such cases, the disciples from Northshire Abbey are bestowed with the ability to heal the wounds and maladies of others, and may be of assistance. If your soldiers become wounded during battle, their condition will worsen, and they should also seek the assistance of your clerics. Magic :Knowledge is the key to understanding, and it is with the hope that by having knowledge of our powers, you will understand how we may best serve the Kingdom. I pray that the words to follow will assist you in our quest of freeing Azeroth from the threat of the Orcish hordes. Concerning the abilities possessed by the clerics from the Abbey, I am most knowledgeable. The conjurers, however, have refused to divulge their secrets, and therefore my understanding of the intricacies of their magiks is not as complete. God speed in your fight. :The Abbot of Northshire Abbey Cleric spells Holy Lance The invasion of the Orcish hordes has necessitated our divining a method to protect not only ourselves, but the whole of the people of Azeroth, as well. The use of physical violence is not the calling of our order, but each force must be met with an equal force for the balance of good and evil to be preserved. As the archangels took up swords of light to defend the heavens, so must we take up holy arms to defend our lands. The pure essence of the casters heart, mind, and soul strikes out to defend him from threat, and enters into the soul of the target. This is especially effective against the Orcs because of their dark and evil origins. Healing The aiding of our brothers and sisters in times of sorrow, grief, and illness is the primary concern of the disciples from Northshire Abbey. This has required us to devise a way to ease the burdens of those about us, with out causing another an equal burden. This has led us to using the spirit of humanity itself to heal all forms of injury or disease. The effect is that the pain and injury of the one afflicted is divided amongst all humanity, making the burden easier to bear (carrying the cross of another). Far Seeing As dispensers of peace and understanding to the people, the need to keep a clear perspective is a vital one. This ability has developed from that need, and therefore allows the caster to see in an all encompassing fashion, as God does. His vision extends to all corners of the land, and his view is omnipotent. The power of this divination is limited, for when one strives to see the world as God does, the human mind can only partake of a meager portion before it is forever blinded by the clarity of that sight. Invisibility This is the ability to cloud the perceptions of others so that they do not recognise the physical existence of the caster. This was originally employed as a tool to make the confessing of secrets that weighed heavily upon the souls of worshippers easier to speak. The clerics of Northshire Abbey have found it very useful in assisting the armies of King Llane in ridding Azeroth of the Orcs. Conjurer spells Elemental Blast Conjurers maintain a close relationship with the elements about them, and the ability to focus those forces is the basis of this spell. This channeling manifests itself as a sphere of charged energy that issues forth from the hands, enabling the caster to strike an enemy from a great distance. This is one of the basic magiks taught to conjurers and serves as the cornerstone for training the caster in focusing both mind and will to the task of summoning. Summon Scorpions The caster calls upon the creatures of the desert by magically transporting them to do his bidding. They are under the conjurer's direction and will do his bidding to the death. Research has proven that it is simpler for the conjurer to transport several smaller scorpions in a short time than to drain his energies further by summoning a single, large creature. Summon Elemental The caster uses the forces of nature to create a water elemental. He summons the forces of air and water and combines them into a simulacrum to defend the lands. They are excellent creatures, and will never turn upon their creators. The element of water was chosen because it is persistent as in the state of erosion, and it is the opposite of fire, which seems to be the element that the Orcs favor. Rain of Fire This is a very powerful spell that combines the natures of flame and water. It calls forth the essence of fire and delivers it through massive thunderheads of vapor and brimstone, creating an actual firestorm. This spell is very destructive, and will cause damage to any foes and buildings in its sphere of influence. Use this spell with care, for the rain of fire knows no friends. Buildings Town Hall This is where the people of a settlement meet to discuss the issues of the day. The King’s servants, be they farmer, craftsman or peasant, will share their fears and hopes with the community in this building. It is also where the details of commerce are dealt with - the distribution of resources, and the spending of moneys. All shipments of gold and wood are routed through the Town Hall. The allocation of funds to build roads and walls are also addressed here. Additionally, it serves as a center where peasants can receive training in harvesting and mining, as to better serve the kingdom. Being the center of the settlement’s economy, there can only be one Town Hall. If it is destroyed, however, another can be built to take its place. Barracks This is where the men of arms come for training and recruitment. Footmen, Knights, and Archers can be found here, constantly honing their skills as they wait to be called forth into battle. When you need more fighting men, you will come here to get them. The crews that man catapults are also trained here, and when you require the services of one of these great machines, it will be routed through this site. Farm Producing needed sustenance, these sites are a vital part of any community. Farms produce grains and foodstuffs to feed not only the populace and peasants, but the armies as well. You must have enough food to supply all of your units, so keep a close eye on how much you can expect to harvest. Farms are self sufficient in that they supply their own workers,but if they are destroyed, your available food supply will be affected. Stables The care and feeding of the Knight’s mount is the main concern of this site. Horses are specially bred and trained here to be more effective for use in combat. By making them faster, stronger, and more responsive to their rider's commands, the stable serves as a link between warrior and steed. The stables must be supplied with riding bits, stirrups, shoes, and horse armor for their training and outfitting - so you can not build a stable without the aid of a blacksmith. Lumber Mill This is where the raw wood supplied by peasant harvesters is made into building supplies, arrows, and catapults. The ability to craft wood to the specific shapes and sizes needed to make certain buildings makes them an essential part of your community. The Mill can also provide your Archers with better shafts for their arrows that will make them fly truer, and increase the amount of damage that they inflict. Blacksmith As the metalworker of the town, he is responsible for the grade and quality of the steel used in your weapons and armor. If funds are devoted to the refining of his craft, he can upgrade the materials and skills used, allowing the creation of better swords and shields. His talents are also sought after in the construction of specific goods and building materials that are essential to other professions. Church Housed here are the holy men of Azeroth, as the church provides a place for them to commune with the people of the land. This is the only place where clerics will come together for their ceremonies, and many can be recruited here to assist in ridding the land of the hellspawned Orcs. A tithe must be made to the church for their services in order that new clerics may be trained, and other sites made sacred. A Church must be built entirely of a rare wood known as Holyoak, hence a lumber mill must be active to specially cut and prepare this sacred wood. Also, clerics continue training here to increase their understandings of the spiritual forces. When they are enlightened by a new revelation, the kernel of that knowledge is sown among all followers of the faith, and it blossoms into the minds of all clerics throughout the lands. Tower This is the mystic place where magiks are taught. These strange and mysterious workers of magic are a reclusive lot, and place themselves above the law in many ways. They also demand absolute secrecy and privacy for their studies, and so require their own domicile. Conjurers gather at the Tower to practice and train in their arcane arts. When new magiks are learned, that knowledge is immediately sent by thought to other conjurers wherever they be in the realm. The recruiting of Conjurers is a common practice, but a price must be paid in gold for their services, as few hold duty to anyone. The massive energies used in their spells require that the Tower be constructed with long shafts of metal placed within the stone walls to act as a mystic lightning rod, for without these, the building would explode into a thousand pieces. A blacksmith must be made available to create these devices to the exact specifications provided by the Conjurers. Gold Mine King Llane has sent many a surveyor into the hills and mountains throughout the kingdom in search of new deposits of gold. You may discover one of these sites, and find that there are still veins of the precious metal to be mined. Peasants can be trained in the skills required to mine and deliver this gold to your Town Hall for disbursement as you see fit. See Also pl:Azeroth Army of the First War Category:Warcraft: Orcs & Humans units